


Five Ways Evan Lorne and Colby Granger Never Started a Relationship

by bergann



Category: Numb3rs, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Space, Crossover, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-31
Updated: 2010-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-06 21:45:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/58076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bergann/pseuds/bergann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/slashing_lorne/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/slashing_lorne/"><b>slashing_lorne</b></a>'s summerfest and the prompt <i>Lorne/Colby- writer's choice</i>.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Five Ways Evan Lorne and Colby Granger Never Started a Relationship

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Future's Gonna Happen Anyway](https://archiveofourown.org/works/30867) by [bergann](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bergann/pseuds/bergann). 



> For [](http://community.livejournal.com/slashing_lorne/profile)[**slashing_lorne**](http://community.livejournal.com/slashing_lorne/)'s summerfest and the prompt _Lorne/Colby- writer's choice_.

**1**  
Evan hears about the new Spanish teacher a few hours before he actually meets the guy. Usually his classes are not exactly quiet, but calm and relaxed. He rarely has to actually tell someone to quiet down as they're disturbing the class. Any gossip or conversations are carried out in hushed voices that's easy to let slide, so long as they're still working.

Today though the girls are more focused on chattering about the new teacher and contemplating his social life than painting, and Evan's barely turned his back on them after asking them to focus before the whispers start up again behind him.

The guys are less concerned about the new guy's social life and more with whether or not he'll be a good replacement for Coach Garner, who retired the previous year after his wife got sick.

"I heard Ms. Feaf say he used to be an Army Ranger," Hal says and Scott scoffs.

"Yeah right. If he used to be an Army Ranger, what the fuck is he doing teaching Spanish in a dump like this?" Scott says, voice loud enough for the few people actually focusing to look up.

"Scott." Evan says, and Scott immediately ducks his head down and says, "Sorry, Mr. Lorne."

Evan's not entirely certain if Scott's sorry he disturbed the class, swore or for calling the school a dump, but figures it doesn't matter. It's probably none of the above.

He has to quiet them another three times before class is finished.

*

"Have you seen the new guy yet?" Cadman asks as she settles down in the middle of the bigger couch.

"No," Evan says, "but apparently Susan wants to climb him like a tree."

Cadman laughs loudly. "I knew I liked her for a reason!"

"I thought you cursed her very existence in your garage with every fiber of your being," Evan says, eyebrow raised and Cadman shrugs.

"Well yeah," she says, "but I respect her for trying to prove she's not just a pretty face. Plus, she's got attitude and she's improving. A little."

"Last week you sat in on my class and drew a disturbing picture of a car landing on someone."

"What are we talking about?" David asks before Cadman can start falsely denying anything as he and John enter the room. He sits down on the couch next to Cadman, and John sprawls on the other side.

"Ooh," John says in a perfect imitation of the voice of any number of the gossiping girls they teach, and bounces up and down on his cushion with faked excitement. "Is it the new guy?"

Evan still can't really believe that John Sheppard is the best history teacher in the state, even after years of working with him.

"Yes," Cadman says at the same time Evan says, hoping it to be true, "No."

"Hm," John says and tilts his head to the side, eyes squinting behind his glasses as he considers. "He's hot, but not really my type."

Which is probably a good thing, Evan thinks, since John's married to a short, sarcastic genius who - it has to be said - isn't exactly in top physical condition. Definitely not the make of a good wrestling coach.

"I'm not taking part in this," David says and focuses on his lunch with determination.

"Where's Charlie?" Evan asks, hoping that a discussion with David will keep John and Cadman from dragging him into theirs.

"Probably thrilling his class with an explanation for a theorem or something," David says with a shrug. "He'll probably realize soon that the only thing his class is interested in right now is lunch."

Evan makes a skeptical noise. Charlie rarely notices things like that.

The door to the room closes loudly, the way it only does when someone who hasn't used it before doesn't close it right. The noise makes all of them look.

"Uh," the guy says and adds hopefully, "Coffee?"

Evan doesn't even realize he's been studying the guy until he looks back to find Cadman staring at him, this knowing smirk on her face. She lifts an eyebrow as if to say, _well?_ and Evan has to fight to not let his face betray anything.

The new teacher has an amused expression on his face, like he knows he just walked in on a conversation that was half about him. He's wearing jeans that Evan can't help but notice are a little bit tight, and his white shirt is open at the collar. It's just a little bit distracting.

"Colby!" David greets, "I was hoping Alan would send you our way."

"I was kind of wondering why he insisted I get coffee from down the hall, when I could see the machine right behind his back," Colby says and walks closer to them. "Nice to see you again David, John, crazy person who pushed past me to coo at my car this morning, and you -" he says, turning to Evan and smiling, "I don't know."

"Evan Lorne," he says over Cadman's protests that she's not crazy.

"Colby Granger."

"You have an incredible car, that's all," Cadman says and the way she smirks implies that she's talking about more than just his car. "So you can stop calling me crazy. My name's Cadman."

"It's a synonym for crazy," John whispers loudly to Colby, "but she hasn't figured that out yet."

"Shut it, Sheppard, or I'm inviting myself over to dinner with you and Rodney, and telling him it was your idea."

Once Colby's cup is filled with coffee, he settles down next to Evan on the small couch. "So, is there a particular reason the teachers are split in two groups during lunch?"

"This is where the shunned go to dine," David intones and sighs sadly. "You really should get away while you can."

*

"Why are we here?" Evan asks and Cadman gives him a disbelieving look.

"To support Colby! What else? It's the first match for the team since he started coaching. It's a big deal, Evan, I know even you know this."

"No," Evan says, "I meant why are we in this particular area of the stands?"

They are, in fact, extremely close to sitting in the area where girlfriends of the wrestling team sit. He's fairly certain more eyes are on them than the match right now.

"Oh," Cadman says and waves her hand like it's not important. "These are the best seats and I figured it would be kind of fitting, considering you have a date riding on the outcome of tonight."

"_What_?"

"I told Colby that if his guys won the most tonight, I would allow him to ask you out for dinner."

"You'd _allow_ him to ask me out?" Evan says, and then thinks, _great, that's what you focus on_.

"Yep," Cadman smiles at him and slings an arm around his neck. "I got tired of watching you two dance around each other and I wanted to make sure you date nothing but the best. You can thank me later."

Evan shoves at her and fights the smile, even though he is sort of weirdly touched beneath the initial annoyance. Cadman looks like she knows though, and they both cheer a little louder at the next win.

**2**  
Arcanine starts growling before Colby hears anything, and long before the guy stumbles into the clearing, immediately falling to the ground once - Colby guesses - there are no longer trees for him to support himself against.

Colby gets up from his lean against Arcanine, hurrying over to the prone body. "Hey man, are you okay?" He asks stupidly, because it's obvious even in the bad light from the moon that the guy is exhausted and injured. He hooks his arms through the guy's armpits and starts dragging him back to Arcanine and the small fire he's got going.

Arcanine yips and noses into Colby's backpack, bringing out the small med kit. "I don't know, Arc, you don't think he'll be mad if I patch him up while he's unconscious? I feel like I should at least wait until he surfaces enough to give me some sort of permission."

The look Arcanine gives him is pretty impressive. Colby hates being the sort of guy who apparently gets bossed around by his Pokémon, but then again, what if the guy is seriously injured?

"I really hope you don't wake up while I'm doing this and start assuming things," he tells the unconscious guy, and starts cleaning the cuts.

*

Colby's wakes when he hears a voice uncertainly go, "Um. Help?"

He looks over to where the guy has apparently woken up to find Arcanine's head resting on his stomach. Colby doesn't have to whistle. The second the guy moves, Arcanine is up and walking over to Colby, tail wagging.

"Sorry about that," Colby says, getting to his feet. "Arcanine was apparently worried you'd freeze in the night."

"Oh. Thank you?" The guy sits up, hissing with pain, and Colby moves closer, holding out his water bottle.

"Here," he offers, "I have something for the pain too, if you want it."

The guy takes the bottle. "Why are you helping me? For all you know, I could be trouble."

"Because I'm not an asshole," Colby says with a grin. "And I'm not really worried. I doubt you could overpower me right now, let alone me _and_ Arcanine."

He grimaces and nods. "You have a point. So, who are you?"

"Colby Granger." Colby says, holding out his hand, "In no way a qualified medic, so don't complain if the work I did on your cuts is shitty."

"Evan Lorne," Evan says, and even though he looks exhausted, his grip on Colby's hand is firm. "Thank you. For everything."

Colby shrugs. "You needed help. I did what anybody would've done. What happened anyway? You're pretty beat up."

Evan grimaces. "The Tauros stampeded earlier. I got caught in it, but managed to get my way out pretty quickly. Just...got banged up a bit first."

Colby stares. "I saw that stampede. That was near fifty Tauros. How are you even alive?"

"I was nearly out of the way," Evan says, "There were just two Tauros that seemed kind of...taken with me."

He goes to get the painkillers, absently petting Arcanine as he passes. "It definitely sounds like you need this, and I won't take no for an answer."

Evan smiles a little and doesn't protest.

*

They end up staying two days in the clearing, since Evan's in no state to travel and Colby is not just going to leave the guy stranded.

Evan sleeps through most of the first day, though the second time he wakes up he lets his Pidgeot out of her Pokéball.

"She hates being cooped up in there," he says, "but I figured it was better if I kept her in until we got out of Tauros territory."

He falls asleep again shortly after.

Colby's never had a bird stare at him quite like this before. He feels vaguely unsettled, like she's measuring him up and he's about to be judged, especially since the first few times he goes near Evan, she starts cawing.

The second day, they release _all_ of their Pokémon from their Pokéballs, and while the Pokémon are eyeing each other up and playing, they talk.

They talk about how they caught their various Pokémons, the toughest and weirdest battles they fought, about family and traveling.

By the end of the second day, after the other Pokémon are back in their Pokéballs, Pidgeot seems to accept that he poses no threat and stops giving him the evil eye. He thinks maybe the food he shared with her helped a little.

*

"You ever ridden an Arcanine before?" Colby asks the next day, after everything is packed away.

Evan shakes his head. "No, I've never had the chance."

Colby grins. "This'll be an experience then. Just hold on tight and you'll be fine."

He nearly crashes them into a tree at first, distracted by the new feeling of Evan pressed solid and warm against his back, but Evan's laughing with exhilaration and amazement from the speed.

Colby still remembers the feeling of the first time he was able to ride Arcanine, after Growlithe evolved. "You in any pain?"

"Nah," Evan says, "I've never felt better."

"Good," he smiles, "Arc, let's pick up some speed."

*

"I have a friend who studies Ancient Pokémons," Evan says when they stop for lunch, "and he found a tablet a few years back that had directions to a city. A city that's been forgotten." He pauses and Pidgeot steps closer to his side, a small movement but one Colby can't help but notice. "A bunch of people left last year to check if it was real and we haven't heard from them. They should've made it back, even if the city is real. They had the best of every type of Pokémon. One of them should've made it back. I mean it sounds crazy, right? This city that apparently all of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh has forgotten exists. But my friends, they believed in it and they went looking and now they're missing."

"So you've decided to go looking for them," Colby guesses and Evan looks at him and smiles, a little sadly.

"Yeah. I mean, I'm not sure if I believe this place exists, but I'm going to figure out what happened to the others." Evan exhales loudly. "If it turns out the city is real, it'd just be a bonus."

"What's the name of the city?" Colby asks, and he's not certain he believes it - it does sound crazy, but then, people have forgotten Pokémon and civilizations. Why not a city?

"Atlantis." Evan says and smiles for real this time. "The city is called Atlantis."

*

When they reach the nearest city, they don't stay there long. Just long enough to buy Evan a new backpack since his got ripped in the stampede, fill it up with supplies and restock Colby's. While Evan's getting his injuries looked over by a professional, Colby and Arcanine stare each other down for a moment outside before Colby nods and says, "Fine."

"Don, I'm really sorry," he says a little later, staring at Don's confused expression on the video screen, "but it'll probably be a while before we meet up."

"What, why?" Don says, and the confusion slips over into worry. "Is something wrong?"

"Nah, man," he smiles reassuringly, "I just...there's something I gotta do first."

Don makes a dubious face, but say anything other than, "Well, we'll be here for a while. We'll make sure you can find us, if we've moved on by the time your 'thing' is done."

"Thanks," Colby says, grateful Don's not asking more questions. David and Megan wouldn't have stopped. "Tell the others I said hi."

"They're going to kill you for this," Don says conversationally, but he's grinning. "Be safe, Colby."

*

"So where are you headed next?" Evan asks as they're heading out of town, on foot for now.

Colby looks at him sideways. "Well, I was thinking maybe Atlantis. That is, if you don't mind some company."

Evan doesn't stop walking, but there's a big smile spreading slowly on his face and Colby's breath catches, just for a moment.

They've only taken eleven more steps when Evan's hand slips into his.

 

**3**  
Evan has known the Eppes family all his life. His mother went to school with Margaret and, to Evan's surprise, joined Margaret and Alan at protests.

Alan's the reason Evan became an architect, but he's still pretty surprised when Alan calls him out of the blue, a month before Evan plans to leave New York.

"I hear you're moving to LA."

"My mother's telling people already?" Evan asks, a little alarmed. He'd only said yes to the job yesterday.

"Ah, no. I was visiting when you called." Alan tells him, "Nabel, huh? Congratulations, Evan, you're with one of the top 10 firms in California."

"Thanks," Evan says and can't help the pleased grin. They talk for a while, Alan about auditing a class at CalSci and about the work Don and Charlie are doing, while Evan explains why the firm in New York wasn't working for him.

"So you're not leaving anyone behind?" Alan asks, the question so casual that Evan can't help but be slightly suspicious. "Your mother said you hadn't mentioned anyone, but..."

"Nah," he says and figures his mother is having Alan fish for information. Erin had done it the other week, but confessed to it first. "Whoever the right person for me is, I doubt I'd find them in New York."

"Well," Alan says and changes the topic by inviting him to dinner once he gets into town.

*

In hindsight, he should've seen it coming.

*

"Evan!" Alan says with a smile as he opens the door, pulling Evan in for a friendly hug. "It's great to have you in the area. Are you all settled in?"

"Still have boxes to unpack, but the worst part of getting it into the apartment is over at least," Evan says, smiling.

"Come on in and meet everyone. They're in the yard, I decided the weather's too nice not to have a barbecue."

"You've redecorated." Evan notices as they move through the house and Alan makes a small face.

"Charlie did. It's his house now." Alan says, "We had a break in. They trashed the place and Charlie decided to make some changes."

"Mom told me about that." Evan says, "Never think it's going to happen to you, right? The redecoration looks nice though."

"Not really my style," Alan confesses as they reach the yard. "We're still missing Colby, but the food hasn't hit the grill yet so he might still make it in time. Drinks are in the kitchen. I'll go add food to the grill. You go meet everyone."

It doesn't seem to be a problem, since Alan's barely left his side before Don and Charlie appear.

After twenty minutes, he's met Charlie's girlfriend Amita, half of Don's team and Larry, who had immediately started up a discussion about Paolo Soleri. Evan's thankful for the chance to discuss something he really knows with someone interested in the answer, especially since it gives him an excuse to get away from Nikki, who kind of gave the impression she was eyeing him up the entirety of their conversation.

Evan doesn't really have an issue telling people he's gay, but he doesn't like dropping it into conversation within five minutes of meeting someone either. Larry, Evan decides, has excellent timing.

Larry gets distracted by Charlie though, and Evan slips into the kitchen for something to drink. He's just grabbed a beer and closed the refrigerator when a guy walks into the kitchen.

"Sorry I'm late, but --" the guy cuts himself off and smiles sheepishly. He has a really nice smile. "I don't know you. Sorry, I heard noises in the kitchen and figured you were Don or Alan. I'm Colby."

"Evan," he smiles, "They're arguing over the grill. I mean, Don said he was helping, but I don't know, it looked kind of unwanted."

"Yeah, that sounds like them," Colby agrees and laughs a little, "it's even worse when Charlie joins in."

"Oh yeah, I've had seats to that show before." Evan laughs, "It's something else alright."

"Yeah, Don mentioned you've known them for a while."

"Since we were kids," Evan nods, "My mother would bring me with her whenever she was in LA, and we'd stay here."

"Where did you grow up?"

"San Francisco."

"So not a huge change to be in LA for you then, then," Colby says, "I grew up in Winchester. LA seemed kind of crazy for a while."

Evan chuckles, "Yeah, I can imagine."

"I still feel kind of cheated on the whole pool thing," Colby continues, "but then the beaches are incredible, so it's made up for a little."

"That'd explain the damp hair then," Evan says and Colby's hand goes immediately up to his hair, running his fingers through it.

"Yeah, I had the day off so I decided to go surfing." He smiles again, dimples deeper than before, "Gotta grab the opportunity when it presents itself, right?"

"Right," Evan agrees, "Though I wouldn't really know when it comes to surfing. I haven't been."

"I'll take you sometime," Colby offers easily and then seems to hesitate.

"That'd be cool," Evan says, before Colby backtracks on the offer. "It's been one of those things I've been meaning to try."

"Evan, food's ready." Nikki says, coming into the room. "Oh Colby, you're here. We'd thought you'd drowned, Idaho."

"Nah, I was heading out to tell everyone I was here, but I heard Evan in the kitchen and got distracted." Colby smiles, "Food's done?"

"Food's done," Nikki confirms.

"Great. Evan, hand me a beer, will you?"

"Sure," Evan says and thinks he hears Nikki say 'figures' on her way back out to the yard.

*

"I forgot to ask," Alan says as Evan mentions calling a cab. It's late, and even though Evan doesn't start working at Nabel for another two days, he figures it's time for him to head back to the apartment. "Where are you living?"

Evan lists off the address, and Colby says, "That's not too far from me. No need to call a cab, I can give you a ride. I was thinking about heading home too."

"If you're sure it's no trouble, that'd be great," Evan says. Getting a lift from Colby would be a lot preferable to getting a cab, he thinks, and it has very little to do with the cost of the cab.

Colby shakes his head. "Nah, it's barely a detour. It'd just be stupid for you to pay for a cab when we're heading in the same direction."

"Alright then," Evan says, smiling, "A ride would be awesome, thanks."

They leave half an hour later, after Alan makes Evan promise he'll stop by at least once a week for dinner.

"When do you want to try your hand at surfing?" Colby asks as he stops in front of Evan's apartment building, "I think I know a beach that'd be perfect for your first time."

"Well, I wouldn't say first time," Evan says dryly, and grins as Colby's eyes widen a little before he laughs. "Take your pick from the weekends. I don't really have a lot lined up."

"Alright, well you're probably going to be settling in for the rest of the week, how about next Saturday?"

"Sounds good. We should get together sometime this week though, talk some more. How about dinner?"

Colby looks at him for a moment and smiles, nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, that would be nice."

Evan's smiles and ducks his head a little, "Great. How does Friday at seven sound?"

"Good," Colby says, and then as an afterthought, his lips quirking with slight amusement, "It's a date."

*

It's not until Evan's walking into the apartment that he realizes Alan already knew where he lived, since he'd told him the address when Alan had first called.

 

**4**  
Colby's mother didn't really approve of his choice to go to the Academy. It wasn't that she thought he couldn't do it or that it wasn't the right choice for him, she said as she had tried to convince him to have the Bureau as a backup plan, she had just hoped he'd follow in his father's footsteps and go back to the Army.

He hates disappointing his mother, but walking through the hall towards his room, he thinks he made the right choice. It _feels_ right.

His roommate is already there, head lifting up off his pillow as Colby enters. After a moment, the rest of him follows too, until he's standing by the bed instead of lying on it. "I hope you don't mind I took the right side - I run in the mornings and figured if I was closer to the door, I wouldn't wake you when I slip out."

Colby smiles and relaxes a little. "Nah, that's fine. I'm Colby," he says and holds his hand out.

"Great," his roommate says and grins as he takes Colby's hand, "I'm Evan."

*

It takes two weeks before Colby decides to join Evan in the mornings for his run. When he asks, Evan makes a face and says, "Sorry, I don't mean to wake you."

"You don't wake me," Colby assures him, which isn't exactly true. Colby seems to wake up the second Evan closes the door behind him, no matter how quiet he is. "I just figured it might be fun."

Evan smiles at that. "Physical training not pushing you hard enough?" He asks, his tone light. "I'm sure we could bring it up with Special Agent Johnson. You know he's itching to take the training up a notch."

"Hey man, I just figured you might want some company on your runs," Colby says, laughing, "I'm not looking to make a bunch of people learning all about police and Bureau investigations hate me. My body would never be found."

"I'm sure I'd find it eventually," Evan says and pats him on the back comfortingly, "but I suppose it's less hassle all around if you just join me in the mornings."

Colby runs fast, but if there's one thing he's failed to notice during physical training, it's that Evan runs even faster.

*

When their hours off come at the end of week five, Colby knows he should probably use it for something productive, but it's a lot more tempting to just lie down on the bed and not move until morning.

His first wind is officially gone, but he's lasted longer than the others and would congratulate himself on this if he had the energy.

Evan stumbles through the door and takes one look at Colby, nodding his head slightly before collapsing on his own bed. "We're not planning to move any more tonight, are we?"

"I won't if you don't," Colby agrees and when he turns his head a few minutes later, Evan's eyes are closed, his breathing even and smiling at the ceiling.

*

"What's interesting to me," Laura says and her grin is practically gleeful, "is that I can't recall seeing either of you without the other. Luckily for you, I find your codependency cute, and won't fight you for his time."

"What are you talking about?" Colby asks, even though he's fairly certain he knows exactly what she's talking about and definitely certain that he doesn't want her to expand on it. Laura is slightly insane, usually in the best possible way, but also frighteningly competent and always cheerful.

Apparently Evan had known her since high school, and at first Colby had taken that to mean they were high school sweethearts, but after watching them together, he doesn't think there's anything between them but friendship.

"Probably nothing," Evan says as he joins them and nudges Laura good-naturedly in the side. "Her words never have meaning. She once talked at me for an hour about why on Earth, if we have clothing that can stop bullets, did her pantyhose keep ripping."

"Sounds thrilling," Colby says and Laura scowls at them.

"That was a totally reasonable rant," Laura says, "I would like to see you try putting on a pair of pantyhose without ripping them."

There's a moment of silence while they let that sink in, and then the mental images have all of them laughing loudly.

Laura's comment is forgotten by the time they stop laughing.

*

Colby's not entirely certain what it is that starts the kiss.

He's not sure there even is one thing that changes, because there's undeniably always been something there between them that Colby figured was just best left alone.

But after a nearly flawless exercise at Hogan's Alley - Colby had tripped on a loose floorboard at one point, but it luckily hadn't had any repercussions other than Evan smirking at him - Colby follows Evan into their room, only to get trapped against the door once it closes.

The kiss is wet and sloppy and kind of awkward, angle not quite right until Colby gets with the program and shifts, deepening the kiss.

Evan makes a noise in the back of his throat that Colby decides he definitely needs to hear again.

"Dinner in half an hour."

"Yup," Colby agrees and pushes him backwards onto the desk, because he knows that if he gets Evan on the bed, there's no way he's leaving in half an hour.

Evan grins and uses his feet around Colby's waist to pull him even closer, licking into his mouth.

*

When they get back to the room after graduation, they both settle down on opposite beds to open their assignments. Both beds have been in use, of course, but it's been a while since they've been on separate ones.

"Criminal Division in Los Angeles," Colby says, once it becomes clear that Evan's not going to go first.

"Counterrorism," Evan says, "in San Diego."

Which is closer than Colby had expected - had _hoped_, really - and while it's still sinking in, Evan's moved to straddle him.

"California," Colby murmurs against Evan's lips and Evan smiles.

"How're you going to fit me in between work and surfing?" He sighs mournfully, and Colby nips at his throat, hearing what Evan isn't saying - what neither of them have been saying since this whole thing started - which is that this is not just an Academy fling.

"I'm sure I can pencil you in somewhere," Colby promises and pushes him into the mattress.

 

 

**5**  
All personnel on the _Atlantis_ have temporarily been relocated to private quarters on DS9 while the ship undergoes heavy repairs.

It would, Evan thinks, be kind of like getting a few days off. Not shore leave, but a small vacation of sorts. Exactly what the Doc ordered for a crew who had struggled to make sure their ship made it away from battle.

In short, it would be heaven if only the climate controls in his room had gone haywire. Evan's been on ice planets warmer than that.

"We'll send someone up right away to take care of it." Evan thanks them and then, because it'd be typical if it suddenly fixed itself now that he's called it in, tries to adjust the controls again.

"Any change?" A voice asks and Evan turns in surprise.

"That was quick."

"Well, I was right down the corridor when they called me." The man is dressed in casual clothes, hair tousled and what looks like pillow creases on his cheek.

He looks pretty adorable.

"You were...sleeping?" Evan asks, shutting down that train of thought quickly because waiting for repairs to finish is no time to think about that, and steps aside so that the man can access the panel.

The guy ducks his head and does exactly what Evan's been doing, before opening it. "Unintentional nap," he says, "The side-effect of just being called for the jobs the Starfleet guys don't feel like doing themselves. Not that I'm complaining, since I get a room out of it and some credits."

"Sorry for waking you for this," Evan says, because it's a pretty shitty thing to get woken up for.

"I don't mind." The guy smiles at him.

"So you don't actually work here?"

"Nah," the guy shrugs, "I'm just working the small jobs until I find another ship. There, should be fixed now."

The room starts getting warmer almost at once. "_Thank_ you."

"No problem," the guy smiles, "Have a good day."

*

"Lorne!" Don Eppes grins when he enters Quark's and waves him over. "Meet the newest addition to our crew, Colby Granger."

It's the same guy who fixed the environmental controls in his room earlier. "Guess you found your ship."

Colby grins. "How's your room?"

"Warm, thankfully," Evan says, and offers his hand. "Evan Lorne."

"You guys met before?"

"Briefly," Colby smiles, "I fixed the environmental controls in his room earlier."

"Sheppard know about this yet?" Evan asks David, since he's less likely to answer vaguely.

"I'm sure Don's gonna tell him later today," David says, grinning, "and we've got you to back us up now on the request. It won't be like with Michael."

Evan sighs.

*

"We haven't forgotten the last time we decided to just hire somebody off of a space station, have we?" Sheppard asks.

Don scowls, but before he can say anything, Evan steps in with, "It was my idea, sir."

"Really?" Sheppard raises an eyebrow.

"He mentioned looking for a ship when he was fixing the environmental controls in my room, and we need new crew." Evan shrugs, "Seemed like a simple enough solution."

"Alright then," Sheppard nods, "Welcome onboard, Granger. Now, First Officer or not, stop bothering me, Lorne, and go enjoy the time we have here."

"Yes sir."

*

"What happened with Michael?" Colby whispers as they follow Don back to Quark's and the others. "And who's Michael?"

"He was an engineer they met a few years ago," Evan explains, "Turns out the _Atlantis_ had been part of an attack on his home planet and he was looking for revenge. He tried to self-destruct the ship."

"And...Don hired the guy?"

"No," Evan says, "We all did."

*

"Okay so here's the thing," Colby says two weeks later. Even though they are sitting with Don and various other crew members of the _Atlantis_, the way he angles his body makes it clear he's speaking only to Evan even though he hasn't really lowered his voice any. "When we first met, I figured since you were in the temporary quarters, you'd be gone within a week or I'd find a ship and there'd be little use in asking this, but since things have...changed and I've been given more information on the situation too, how do you feel about dinner tonight at the Celestial Café?"

There's enough silence from the others to let Evan know that they're all definitely listening in but trying not to be obvious about it. "Earlier, huh?"

Colby smile's turns a little nervous. "Yeah. Hey man, listen, it's fine if you don't want to, we can totally forget I said anything --"

"I'd like that," Evan says and smiles.

The smile on Colby's face at that is the best one so far.

"Good," Radek says, "because really, we would not have stopped teasing you for many months."

Colby stops smiling at Evan to eye the others. "You still are, aren't you?"

"Of course," Charlie grins.

Cadman smirks. "But now you've got Evan's manly arms to cry into at night."

Nikki makes a skeptical noise. "Are you saying Evan's manlier than Colby?"

Evan does not want to be here for that discussion. "What do you say we have drinks before dinner?"

Colby looks relieved at the suggestion.

*

"That's my girl," Sheppard says proudly as they all help load supplies onto the newly repaired _Atlantis_. All, that is, except for Sheppard, who's admiring his ship, and McKay. "Good as new."

"Sheppard," McKay says, "when the _Atlantis_ was new, it did not have scorch marks on an alarmingly large part of its fuselage."

"The scorch marks give her character, Rodney," Sheppard says, frowning. "It makes her distinguished."

"Makes you crazy," Cadman mutters next to Evan, and while Evan understands the fierce kind of bond Sheppard's got going with _Atlantis_ all too well, he has to agree with Cadman - the scorch marks doesn't make the _Atlantis_ look anything but damaged.

"Nah, I get it," Colby says, "It's camouflage. Might give us an advantage."

"Doesn't make it look good, though," Evan points out. Colby shrugs.

"Oh," Sheppard says, coming up behind them, "Lorne, Granger, before I forget to say this, should either of you make some silly mistake that ends in hostility and a divide in the camps, I've made sure Carson has two hypo sprays with your names on them. Don't mess up my ship."

"I didn't know you cared," Colby says and doesn't sound intimidated in the slightest. He smiles at Evan.

"I did," Evan admits, "I just thought he was going to threaten us with the airlock."

"That too," Sheppard says, "Now, back to work! Another day on this station would be a day too long."

Evan catches Colby's eye and smiles back.


End file.
